Interview with Deeraj Malhotra of Birlasoft | C01

Is HR still focused on standardizing policies, or are you driving actual business strategy?

In this clip, Deeraj Malhotra (VP of HR at Birlasoft) explains why HR leaders must stop fearing AI and start using it to secure their seat at the executive table. She argues that true business strategy, productivity, resilience, and innovation, can only take shape when HR is armed with data-ready, AI-driven tools.

Deeraj also shares a hard truth about the future of work: AI will adopt "IQ jobs" faster than "EQ jobs." As technology scales, emotional intelligence, curiosity, and learning agility will become the ultimate differentiators for successful leaders.

This clip is part of a longer conversation with host Joseph Cole on the Talented Podcast that explores:

✔️ The emotional realities of large-scale Change Management
✔️ How to tie HR initiatives directly to business revenue
✔️ Birlasoft’s strategy for building a Skills-Based Organization
✔️ Why culture transformation fails without leadership accountability

What This Clip Covers:

✔️ Why an "AI-First Mindset" is critical for modern HR
✔️ The shift from HR as a process-manager to a business-driver
✔️ The dominance of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) over hard skills (IQ) in the AI era
✔️ How curiosity and agility prevent talent from becoming redundant

FAQs:

1) Why does HR need an "AI-First Mindset"? According to Deeraj Malhotra, AI is not a threat; it is an advantage. By using AI to create operational efficiency and organize data, HR leaders can move away from basic process management and earn a seat at the table to drive actual business strategy and revenue.

2) What is the hardest part of organizational change management? Deeraj notes that the hardest part is the emotional transition, not the operational execution. Leaders often over-rely on communication (flyers, announcements) and underestimate the loss of identity and uncertainty employees feel. True change requires managing that emotional resistance.

3) Will AI make HR jobs redundant? People do not become redundant because of technology; they become redundant if they refuse to learn. Deeraj points out that while AI will quickly take over highly analytical or "IQ-based" tasks, it cannot replace Emotional Intelligence (EQ). HR leaders who cultivate empathy, agility, and curiosity will remain indispensable.

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About Talented Podcast: Talented Podcast explores how work, skills, and leadership are evolving in an AI-driven world. Hosted by Joseph Cole (and featuring Kyle Lagunas), the podcast features conversations with CHROs, talent leaders, and industry practitioners who share real-world insights on hiring, workforce transformation, and the future of work.

About Glider AI: Glider AI is an enterprise hiring platform that helps organizations assess skills, conduct structured interviews, and validate talent at scale. Used by global enterprises, GLIDER.ai combines AI-powered assessments, interviews, and proctoring to support fair, consistent, and data-driven hiring decisions while keeping human judgment at the center of the process.

Видео Interview with Deeraj Malhotra of Birlasoft | C01 канала Glider AI